"They've got to come up with a long-term plan," Baer said. "Once that's arrived at, then maybe you'll take a step back and say, 'Is there something we can do to be helpful?' As a neighborly thing.

"Obviously, they've got to come up with what their plan is, and we'll go from there."

A neighborly gesture if we've ever seen one.

Of course, the biggest reason the A’s are still playing games at O.co Coliseum — the fourth oldest stadium in the league — is the Giants unwillingness to give up territorial rights in San Jose. The A's have long been linked to that city and have attempted several times to gain approval to move there. San Francisco isn't about to give up that fight, but they will give up their clubhouse and their field, so long as the A's ultimately decide to move somewhere other than San Jose.

Seriously, with neighbors that friendly, who needs enemies?

The A's playing at AT&T Park would likely result in financial gain for the Giants as well. No good deed comes without a check, though you wouldn't offend them with cash either. So while the offer might sound too good to pass up, the A's probably will unless conditions at O.co deteriorate to the point where they have no choice.

With everything taken into consideration though, we can't really rag on the Giants too much here. The AT&T Park option would give the A's some insurance at an uncertain time in their history. Besides that, it's within San Francisco's rights to protect their established territory. Many other franchises would do the same in their position. They're doing what they believe is most beneficial to their brand. It's not popular, but business is business.